One of the best words to describe the on-screen persona ofJennifer Jason Leighis coy. There always seems to be a secret hiding behind her lips. Her deadpan delivery and enduring pout give her the recognizable characteristics to offer every audience member that “Oh, I’ve seen her before” moment.
Leigh is an intensely focused performer, doing it so well she makes it appear as though she’s doing nothing at all. She never gets too comfortable working under one genre before jumping to the next.Her filmography includesstarring in horror films with both David Cronenberg and his son Branden Cronenberg (inExistenZeandPossessor, respectively), as well as character dramas (Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle), coming-of-age comedies (Fast Times at Ridgemont High), Tarantino flicks (The Hateful Eight), and whatever one describes Jane Campion’s avant-garde erotic thriller,In the Cut, to be.
Here are Jennifer Jason Leigh’s best performances.
15Annihilation (2018)
Because of its questionable marketing strategy (not having one) and poorly received rainbow CGI,Annihilationlargely went under the radar upon its release. In Alex Garland’s sci-fi/horror fantasia, Natalie Portman stars as Lena, a biology professor and military vet who ventures into the Shimmer, a seemingly alien zone caused by a meteor strike. Along with co-stars Tessa Thompson and Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Jason Leigh’s Dr. Ventress leads the expedition into unknown territory, where the women face albino alligators, refracted DNA, mutated skull bears, and the least tourist-friendly lighthouse.
Related:Why Alex Garland’s Annihilation Deserves More Recognition
Leigh’s performance is not the centerpiece, but her signature deadpan performance shines. Though unlike most of her work, there’s nothing tongue-in-cheek about her subtlety. Here, it’s used to expand upon the film’s terrifying backdrop, a touch of grit to introduce the stakes before they present themselves. She’s not here to make friends, and she’s not even here to win. And that’s the scariest part of all.
14Atypical (2017-2021)
In this popular Netflix series, Jennifer Jason Leigh plays Elsa, themother of an autistic teenagerSam. Elsa is a mama bear, riding her helicopter around Sam day in and day out. It’s because she cares, but what he really needs now is space.Atypicallaunches with Sam starting to date on the advisement of his therapist, which is a huge blow to Elsa’s parenting beliefs.
As she takes her husband’s advice and gives Sam space, she begins to discover more about herself and quickly realizes there is much she didn’t know. Watching the show is a delight for a number of reasons, mainly the comedic family dynamics, but also to watch Leigh have a ball playing Elsa. As she unravels the cracks within Elsa’s sense of self, she takes the character to new heights, each episode a new discovery.
13Weeds (2009-2012)
Entering the hit show in its fifth season, the actress plays Jill, the boring older sister of Mary Louise Parker’s Nancy, the cool mom who sells weed. Starring in fifteen episodes ofWeeds, Leigh balances out Parker so well, it’s almost like they’re actually sisters.
In Season 7, Episode 3, “Game-Played,” Jill attempts to take custody of Nancy’s son, who she raised more than Nancy did. Their dispute leads to a cannabis-infused fight on the subway where both sisters air each other’s dirty laundry for whole the subway car to hear. As Parker raises the tempo, Leigh matches her and elevates it further. Neither one is willing to back down. “Mustache,” Parker hisses. “Bug-eyes,” Leigh retorts, as sisters do.
12eXistenZe (1999)
The turn of the century brought game-changing, genre-busting works to light. Amongst classics likeFight ClubandThe Matrix, there were also lesser-known works including David Cronenberg’s sci-fi/action sizzlereXistenZe. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays Allegra Geller, the Mark Zuckerberg of ’90s game design. When she’s targeted by a fanatic group of Realists who want to destroy her latest game, she and her bodyguard Ted Pikul (played by the fantastically boyish Jude Law) go on the run to save her game and fight the opposition.
While there’s enough spectacle to keep the most unenthusiastic viewer watching, like body horror fused with action set pieces and pyrotechnic world-building, it’s reallythe chemistry between Leigh and Lawthat keeps viewers tuned in. No two actors can pull off the good boy/bad girl trope with such vibrancy. Their world is soaked in sensuality, as they apply lubricant to the video game ports that slide into their bodies, through a convenient hole above their backsides.
One of the games they download into themselves involves their characters sleeping together. The way Leigh goes from seducing Jude Law to comforting him when he’s overwhelmed, back to heating things up as they reach the next level is nothing but sublime. Her ability to keep everything below the surface, teasing the truth from the first frame to the last, showcases her talent to understand even the strangest assignment.
11In the Cut (2003)
This peculiar, haunted film was met with mixed reception. Those looking for a compelling mystery will feel underwhelmed, and those expecting the usual Jane Campion fanfare will be left in bewilderment withIn the Cut.
Jennifer Jason Leigh plays the sister of Meg Ryan’s protagonist, the sexually charged and sardonic character who falls prey to a serial killer on the loose. The discovery of her fate is one of the most gut-wrenching and gruesome moments in the film.
Leigh is in prime form here,a display of wild femininity, her spirit refusing to be tamed even as the world forces her into submission. Her character is emblematic of all the women who’ve been trampled by life, discarded and treated like collateral. She has a small but indelible effect on the film, like the last remaining photograph of a loved one before they perish.
10The Spectacular Now (2013)
It’s rare for a film marketed towards teens to carry this heavy a heartbeat. A24 helmedThe Spectacular Now, a coming-of-age drama based on the bestselling book, starring Miles Tellerand Shailene Woodley. As Sutter (Teller) approaches high school graduation, and, naturally, adulthood, he develops an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and wants to meet his absent father.
Jennifer Jason Leigh plays Sutter’s mom, Sara, who loves the hell out of her son despite who his father is. Unlike most of her filmography, filled with complex, layered performances, Leigh matches the deeply naturalistic tone of her co-stars. In a film where teenagers actually sound like teenagers and love interest Aimee never once wears (visible) makeup, there’s no room here for Dorothy Parker or Kaufman-esque caricatures. Leigh finds the pulse of the film and keeps it beating.
9Sid & Judy (2019)
There are plenty of films depicting Judy Garland’s tremendous and tragic life, and this documentary was eclipsed by another film: Renée Zellweger’s Oscar award-winning turn as the timeless star inJudy, which came out in the same year. But what sets this documentary apart from the rest is the inclusion of Judy’s own words.
Taken from the diary entries and writings of Ms. Garland and her third husband, Sidney Luft,Sid & Judycasts Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jon Hamm as the doomed couple, giving characterization to both figures and bringing their words to life. Leigh leans into her best 1960s transatlantic accent as she has a ball playing Judy.
The Hollywood Reporterdescribes her “ultranaturalistic delivery” as an authentically warm portrayal of Garland, referring to the documentary as a “deluxe nonfiction soap opera.” With all the pain Judy endured during her life, Leigh emphasizes her comedic wit and sparkling energy.
8Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
In one of her earliest films, Jennifer Jason Leigh took on a deeply complex role, that of a teenage girl inFast Times at Ridgemont High. She fluctuates all over the spectrum of Stacey, reveling in her seductress side while also revealing her softer, vulnerable side. With her incredible hair and laissez-faire demeanor, Stacey represents a lot of young women navigating their transition into adulthood, tackling an abortion narrative in the ’80s, no less.
Review:Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Where the Cast is Today
Leigh handles the nuance needed here with the precisionof an Olympic gymnastas she sticks the landing, expanding Stacey’s dimensions without straying too far. Her performance is warm, adept, and layered, giving you a reason to come back for more after the credits roll.
7Miami Blues (1990)
In a film with such a deceptive, sociopathic lead asAlec Baldwin’s Junior,Miami Bluesneeded someone to outweigh the tension with levity. Enter Jennifer Jason Leigh, traipsing around as Susie Waggoner, the daisy-like sex worker who gets entangled with Junior as he starts a new life after prison.
Her honeysuckle voice takes on a deep southern accent, and while Baldwin has a dramatic dinnertime standoff with antagonist Sgt. Moseley (Fred Ward), it’s Leigh who steals the scene as she interrupts their foreboding gazes with the simple greeting of “Taters?” But don’t underestimate Susie.
Her versatility comes into play during the film’s second half when Susie ultimately leads to Junior’s downfall. Like inFast Times at Ridgemont High, it’s Leigh who gives depth to a character who could otherwise blend in with the set design.
6Bastard Out of Carolina(1996)
In Anjelica Houston’s directorial debut, Jennifer Jason Leigh plays one of her most nuanced roles. A young, single mother named Anney tries to give everything she has to her daughter, Bone (played by Jena Malone in her acting debut).
But when she marries Glen, who brutally assaults and rapes Bone throughout her childhood, Anney struggles between choosing her daughter and choosing her husband. Bone repeatedly offers Anney chances to leave Glen, and to her credit, she certainly tries. But no matter how determined she is to put her daughter first, Glen always has a way of winning Anney back.
Part of Leigh’s performance as Anney is delightful, compassionate, and loving. The other, darker side can’t seem to save her daughter from obvious danger. There’s a tug-of-war happening within the film. The audience, like Anney, can’t decide betweenloving her character or despising her. It’s through Leigh’s efforts that she rides the balance beam to the end, never giving an easy answer to an impossible question.
